Cereal food products are a staple of the human diet. Such cereal food products include, for example, oatmeal and grits. The nutritional value and health benefits of cereal food products, such as oatmeal, are well known and recognized. For example, oatmeal has been shown to reduce total cholesterol concentrations. High concentrations of cholesterol are linked to a higher likelihood of heart attacks. Reducing cholesterol levels can decrease the probability of heart diseases or heart attacks.
Thus, there is a need for increased consumption of oatmeal. Traditionally, a bowl and spoon have been required to eat hot, prepared oatmeal, preventing oatmeal from being conducive to “on-the-go” consumption. Consequently, such consumption of oatmeal can be viewed as being inconvenient. Even with the development of quick oats, oats still require cooking and typically are consumed with a spoon and bowl. Afterwards, the spoon, bowl and any utensils used for cooking the oatmeal need to be cleaned.
Attempts have been made to make drinkable or soft products (e.g. yoghurt) utilizing powdered oatmeal, for example. Typically, powder is prepared using a drum dried process from hydrolyzed/cooked oat flour. This powder is generally used in baby food and dry powder blend applications. However, such powdered oatmeal tends to clump and have poor dispersability in water or other fluids.
A need exists for an oatmeal product that has the same types of health benefits of traditional prepared oatmeal yet is convenient and easy to consume “on-the-go.” A need also exists for such an oatmeal product to be convenient and not messy to consume and which has good texture and flavor characteristic.